Robert S. McCormick was the son of a substantial farmer in Keene Township. In his twentieth year (1861) he enlisted in Capt. Wm. Marshall’s company of the Eightieth regiment, O.V.I.. He was wounded at Mission Ridge and captured, and for fourteen months suffered all the horrors of Andersonville, whereby he was made a mere skeleton, although when he enlisted being six feet two inches in height and weighing 200 pounds. At length being exchanged, he was brought to Savannah and there detained by military movements. He afterward laid sick for a month at Annapolis. In the summer of 1864 he reached his home, receiving an honorable discharge at end of term of enlistment. For may months he sought to recover his health, at his home and in a health institute in New York State, but in vain. He died at home, January 26, 1866. He was one of that great company of victims of the selfish ambition, greed, and cruelty which possessed the men who brought about the terrible "War of the Rebellion."

Source:  Historical Collections of Coshocton County Ohio 1764-1876
Author: William E Hunt, pub. 1876

The Coshocton Age, March 25, 1865
At Home – Robert S. McCormick, of the 80th O.V.I., returned to his home, in Keene TP., this county a short time since time of enlistment expired. He was made a prisoner by the rebels at Lookout Mountain, in Nov. 1863. He has been an inmate of Charleston, Bell Island, Florence, and Andersonville rebel prisons and there had administered to him his share of rebel barbarity. Since his return to “God’s Country,” as the boys in the army term the North, his health has much improved. Mr. McCormick informs us that Thomas Roney of Bedford Township, and member of the 18th U.S. Regulars, and Silas Yonker, of West Carlisle, and member of Co. F. 80th O.V.I. both died in Andersonville prison, in 1864 and both of them victims of rebel barbarity – both literally starved to death. There is a fearful retribution in store for those rebels fiends who have thought proper to lay aside usages of all civilized nations, and subject their prisoners to death by the heathenish process of starvation. – And yet we have a class of devils, in human shape in our midst who sympathize with those rebel outlaws, cut-throats, fiends. Is there not an awful retribution in store for them, too?


The Coshocton Age, Friday February 2, 1866 -- Obituary
Died on Monday the 22nd of January 1866 at the residence of his father in Keene Township, Coshocton County, O. of Liver Complaint, Robert S. McCormick, aged 24 years.
The subject of the above notice died a martyr to the cause of the country – died from the effects of cruel and inhuman treatment received at the hands of the rebel officers at Andersonville and other Southern prison pens. In 1861, he volunteered in Company G. 80th O.V.I. and followed the fortunes of his regiment, fighting in all its battles up to the battle of Mission Ridge, Nov. 24, 1863, at which place he fell, wounded in the face, into the hands of the rebels, by whom he was marched, bleeding and sore to Belle Island. From thence, in Feb. 1864, he was marched to Andersonville prison – Here he was kept until some time in the following October during which time he contracted that terrible disease – scurvy. The rebel physicians there paid no attention to his suffering condition, and he was forced to turn his own doctor, or die. He dieted himself upon raw potatoes and by bandaging his ?ether limbs in such cloths as were at his command, and standing in water for hours each day, effected a cure – but not until he had been reduced by disease and starvation rations, from 200 lbs. to less than 160 lbs. From Andersonville he was removed to Charleston thence to Florence thence back to Charleston and thence to Annapolis where he remained for a month or more, very sick with typhoid fever. Here he was exchanged and permitted to return to his home. His term of enlistment expired previous to his exchange, and since arriving at home, was put in possession by Government of an honorable discharge from the United States service. The past summer his health had been quite poor and he spent some months in the State of New York hoping to recover, but in vain. He returned to his home in this county and died, as indicated in the above notice in the midst of his fathers family.
The writer of this knew Robert S. McCormick as an intelligent, compassionable young man, a brave and trusty companion in arms, and a true Christian patriot in death. Peace to his ashes. T.

Contributed by Rod McCormick